Tablet Computers: Six Things to Look For Before Purchasing

With the advent of Windows 8, more and more laptops that are hitting the market are turning into a laptop and a tablet. While this is, indeed, an awesome piece of technology, you have to understand that it’s rather new to the market. With that being said, we all know that newer gadgets tend to have a lot of kinks that need to be worked out.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a tablet computer, here are six things that you’re going to want to look out for before making the purchase:

#1 Size

If you’re unfamiliar with laptop tablets, it’s best that you test them out
in person. These tablets are going to widely vary in sizes and weight.
It’s so important that you play with a few in person to get a good feel on how one can work for you.
The most common sizes that you’re going to find is going to range anywhere from 15” to 18” screens. Remember, don’t forget to check the weight also. It’s not too uncommon to find tablet laptops that weigh less than a few pounds.

#2 Battery Life

One of the most important parts of a laptop tablet is the battery life.
As technology continues to get better, it’s so important that you pick out a laptop that’s going to last long with its battery. The typical laptop
tablet today should last at least six to eight hours while in use, and
more than 24 hours in standby mode. Manufactures will usually have this information displayed directly on their website.
It’s best to look for a laptop that has a full battery life of more than 8
to 10 hours when in use. When it’s in standby, it should last up to 24
hours, depending on the brand. If you don’t trust the manufactures’
claim, be sure to see what other reviewers are saying online about their battery life.

#3 Reviews

Yes, these laptop tablets are rather new to the market, but that doesn’t
mean that there aren’t any reviews on the web. Most of the reviews that you’re going to find are going to come from recognized magazines and experts. While you may find a few user reviews scattered here and there, be sure to find out what the good and bad is when researching reviews. When looking at these reviews, there are a few things that you will want to look out for. See what people are saying bad about it. What don’t they like? Why are they saying this? Remember, even if it’s the best product, people are going to complain.

#4 Performance

If you own an iPad or any other type of tablet device, you probably
already know that your performances are rather limited. For example, an iPad is extremely hard to perform word processing tasks, design graphics and so forth. Make sure that the tablet laptop that you’re looking to purchase is going to be able to handle these types of tasks.

#5 Cost

In the world of technology, the costs of a laptop tablet are going to
widely vary. Since they are relatively new, plan on spending at least
$700 for a barebones model, or if you want to get a higher end model, the price tag could easily be within the mid-thousands. Of course, like any technology, the longer that you wait, the more you can save.

#6 Accessories / Add-ons

Depending on the brand that you want to purchase, some tablets can come with some nifty features that can make your life easier such as portable speakers, headphones, additional USB ports and more. Be sure to know what you’re going to use this tablet for and make sure that this laptop is going to be able to cater to your every need.

Ashlee is a recent college graduate who works for the website,
HowMuchIsIt.org. When she’s not working, she’s enjoying time with
friends, the outdoors and anything arts and crafts! Reach out to her
project on Twitter @howmuchforit